John Prine - Fish And Whistle Lyrics






I been thinking lately about the people I meet
The carwash on the corner and the hole in the street
The way my ankles hurt with shoes on my feet
And I'm wondering if I'm gonna see tomorrow.

Father forgive us for what we must do
You forgive us we'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven.

I was in the army but I never dug a trench
I used to bust my knuckles on a monkey wrench
Then I'd go to town and drink and give the girls a pinch
But I don't think they ever even noticed me.

Fish and whistle, whistle and fish
Eat everything that they put on your dish
And when we get through we'll make a big wish
That we never have to do this again again? again?

On my very first job I said thank you and please
They made me scrub a parking lot down on my knees
Then I got fired for being scared of bees
And they only give me fifty cents an hour.





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John Prine Fish And Whistle Comments
  1. A.... M....

    Classic 70s folk record. Arguably his best.

  2. P.... J....

    My grandpa showed me this song when I was a kid. Its been my favorite since. He passed away when I was 13, but everytime I hear this song its like he's still here, singin along with me. ❤

  3. T.... L....

    John Prine has been my favorite for nearly 40 years.

  4. V.... ....

    Sweet, Cute, Catchy tune!!!
    ~we'll whistle & go fishing in heaven~

  5. A.... F....

    Lemon twigs

  6. k.... ....

    Hats off to Vampire Wknd giving hats off to this record on their 'We Belong Together' track

  7. R.... K....

    Dad sang this one to me as a kid in the 80s and still find myself singing it randomly...

  8. W.... B....

    Played this st my old man's funeral as I remember him playing it in the car as a kid ☺

  9. K.... C....

    Oh, Mr. Prine. When my son was three years old, he memorized "Fish and Whistle" and we sang that song while driving through the mountains in Colorado back and forth to my cabin. Your music came with me for the last 45 years. I had a belt buckle made with a scrimshaw of the guy stepping on a rake from your "Common Sense" album back in the seventies. You bring tears to my eyes. Thanks.

  10. Q.... F....

    Good tempo and melody. He is without doubt a great singer and songwriter

  11. p.... k....

    Tasmania mid 80's. A friend of my sisters introduced me. Never looked back.

    p.... k....

    How can you look back?

  12. I.... ....

    I been thinking lately about the people I meet
    The carwash on the corner and the hole in the street
    The way my ankles hurt with shoes on my feet
    And I'm wondering if I'm gonna see tomorrow

    Father forgive us for what we must do
    You forgive us we'll forgive you
    We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
    Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven

    I was in the army but I never dug a trench
    I used to bust my knuckles on a monkey wrench
    Then I'd go to town and drink and give the girls a pinch
    But I don't think they ever even noticed me

    Father forgive us for what we must do
    You forgive us we'll forgive you
    We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
    Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven

    Fish and whistle, whistle and fish
    Eat everything that they put on your dish
    And when we get through we'll make a big wish
    That we never have to do this again again? again?

    On my very first job I said thank you and please
    They made me scrub a parking lot down on my knees
    Then I got fired for being scared of bees
    And they only give me fifty cents an hour

    Father forgive us for what we must do
    You forgive us we'll forgive you
    We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
    Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven

    Fish and whistle, whistle and fish
    Eat everything that they put on your dish
    And when we get through we'll make a big wish
    That we never have to do this again again? again? Oooh

    Father forgive us for what we must do
    You forgive us we'll forgive you
    We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
    Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven
    We'll whistle and go fishing in heaven
    We'll whistle and go fishing in heaven

  13. B.... S....

    For my dear Heather Elizabeth Schultz, Princess Extraordanaire!

  14. B.... S....

    This for all who’ve been forgotten or have forgotten! Love to all

  15. M.... N....

    "Father forgive us for what we must do.
    You forgive us and we'll forgive you. "

    I think that combines "forgive us our trespasses..." maybe with a request for forgiving our nasty behavior towards each other with the argument of, "Hey, after all we're created in your image."

    I might be wrong, I probably only get half of these things right anyway. What I'm certain of is this: I do like this lovely little bouncy number of John Prine's.
    ---------------------
    "Eat everything that they put on your dish" could be from a Grateful Dead song and is a lovely sentiment. It's also like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", by The Band:

    " I don't mind choppin' wood,
    and I don't care if the money's no good.
    You take what you need and you leave the rest.
    You should never have taken the very best. "
    ------------------------
    Finally, the last line of the first stanza references mortality (wondering whether he'd see tomorrow). This song was on the 2nd album after returning from his very real health scare, so I wonder if it wasn't written during that difficult period. Plus the line "then we'll never have to do this again" sounds like a reference to redemption, maybe 2nd chances, or even, more darkly, also the whole mortality thing.

  16. R.... W....

    grate song

  17. S.... R....

    Still listening to this song in August 2018.

    S.... R....

    Song makes me incredibly happy and sad. Nostalgic for old times, but happy for the future.

  18. J.... J....

    A timeless writer and musician

  19. M.... B....

    Brings back memories ,Thanks

  20. r.... h....

    "And they only give me 50 cents an hour" heard that! Can't wait to see prine again this year

  21. D.... F....

    I agree with you JIMMY J J . I was happy to see him in Michigan years ago. There isn't a song of his that doesn't make me want to sing along!

    D.... F....

    Not a one

    D.... F....

    Let's go fishing, and don't forget the left handed.

    D.... F....

    @John Artois how could anyone pick their favorite John Prine song?

    D.... F....

    @Dawn Fynewever you would end up listing just about every one he's done. Prine is the best.

    D.... F....

    @John Artois you know it's true sweetheart! Thank you please

  22. M.... P....

    https://youtu.be/MUwRFCH7c9s

    Nate Skiles and the Country Ramblers cover “fish and whistle”

  23. K.... K....

    Love it

  24. E.... N....

    I will listen to his songs until the cows come home.

  25. r.... b....

    My father Kenny loved john prime and so do I forever

  26. J.... D....

    Love John Prine! Nobody like him.

  27. G.... J....

    Great Butch and Jeff JJ! Father Forgive Us...... Are you BLUE? God Bless you! Cf, Fritz Nietzsche on "Eternal Return." Yes! John Prine would do it all again.... and so ought us all who love his music. Simply... whistle and fish. Again?

  28. D.... R....

    I remember hearingng this song in 1981 in Yazoo Mississippi. Haven't been there since.

  29. S.... L....

    i swear this song was in a movie. Anyone know what movie?

    S.... L....

    DODSON'S JOURNEY - 2001 (TV Movie) CBS movie, the main character broke into song, performing Fish and Whistle. Not that great a rendition, but it served the story well.

  30. P.... D....

    This is sort of a repeat comment because I said this on another of his songs. In the early 80's my significant other convinced me to go to one of his performances.
    He came out on stage with three bar stools. The first to sit on. The second with an ashtray (with a joint) and a beer, and the third with a string of guitar picks around in a half circle.
    That concert is forever stamped into my brain. Folk singer extraordinaire, unbelievable guitar picker, song writer unsurpassed, and IMO an extraordinary human being.

  31. J.... W....

    40 yrs old, grew up on Prine. still love it and have my kids liking it already at 5 and 3 yrs old. parenting done right.

    J.... W....

    I'm 64 and really didn't know him until now. I've played in bars in my youth and played "Paradise". Love the song. Didn't know how deep this boy is.

    J.... W....

    Jeff Wager my boys are 3 and 4 and they love John Prine

    J.... W....

    Hope your kids wont kill you in your sleep

    J.... W....

    Play it enough as they’re growing up and they will come back to listen to it later and think of you. That’s my situation. My dad played John Prine all the time growing up, I always liked this song. I’m 27 now.

    J.... W....

    Weaned on Pete Seeger, learned to be thankful for him and for John Prine. Never to be equalled.

  32. D.... G....

    It is rare to find someone with such great song writing ability & the talent to perform it as well. John Prine is one of those people. I would put him with my other favorites. Bob Dylan, Neil Young & Ike Reilly.

    D.... G....

    Ike Reilly?

  33. E.... R....

    Masterpiece.

  34. J.... L....

    Very, good artist! John is one of my all-time favorites!

  35. s.... ....

    I'm dancin

  36. R.... B....

    One of my favorite John Prine songs. In fact, one of my favorite songs. It's on my 'Sunday Songs' playlist.

  37. J.... G....

    how could you not like this

    J.... G....

    Haters hate .

  38. g.... s....

    this can be played at a dinner after my funeral, or in church? why not!

    g.... s....

    +gordon storheim yeahhhhhhhhh  mine 2

    g.... s....

    Not quite biblically accurate but any "progressive Christians" probably wouldn't mind

  39. J.... ....

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, "My favorite John Prine song is which ever one is playing at the moment."

    J.... ....

    cheers to that.

    J.... ....

    Yessir.

    J.... ....

    No you are worng

    J.... ....

    My favorite is Blue Umbrella. Then I agree with your statement.

  40. B.... ....

    Favorite song of all time.

  41. b.... j....

    I'm 40 and I've never heard of him.

    b.... j....

    +Julie Daniels dont know what you missed

    b.... j....

    +Julie Daniels Do yourself a FAVOR . John Prine Will Change Your Life !!

    b.... j....

    Hi Julie. I'm a Julie too, but I have 17 yrs on you. :) Like Cactass says ....

    b.... j....

    Julie Daniels that's criminal. you must make time for JP. Bruised Orange is one of my very all time favorites. A bit of trivia. Bonnie Raitt used to open for John. Now he opens for her. concerts are fabulous.

  42. J.... C....

    Love Prine <3

  43. K.... ....

    Top music man. Cruisin still. Far out. Thanks. From the old Aussie.

  44. a.... T....

    i meet my husband Norman at my friends house an he took me to a party in the country an his friends played guitar an they sang all of the john prine songs it is one of my best memories of being a teenager

  45. P.... S....

    11 people can't whistle it would seem.

  46. W.... W....

    As a child named Whistler, this song helped me accept and appreciate a weird name.

    W.... W....

    sadly noone likes a whistler.

    W.... W....

    Piper would have been better I think

  47. A.... T....

    My 60 y/o grandpa played this song in our car and I love it! Even though it is old :P

    A.... T....

    @jpost85 agree

    A.... T....

    Amen to that even though a comment posted 2 years ago will never see my reply :-(

    A.... T....

    Aryanna Thomas I'm a meathead but I do enjoy all genres of music but metal and extremely hard rock are my main preferences. Nobody is better than John Prine!

    A.... T....

    Great music can be recorded at any time. Time passes, so what? Great songs are great songs, time cant change it. The music from 1950-1980 is FAR greater than the music since then.. what happened? Why did the young people start playing shitty music and turn hateful, and un-friendly? All you youngsters listen to all this stuff, and turn cool!

    A.... T....

    The Bible is old too. STILL STANDS STRONG TODAY! IT'S CALLED 'TIMELESS'!!!

  48. J.... S....

    goot stuffengaffen

  49. P.... M....

    When we get through, we will make the big wish that we never have to do this again.  Trapped in flesh, the only fresh air from heaven is pipped in through music.  Thank-You God!!!

    P.... M....

    Thanks Nicole, I got to hear this again!

    P.... M....

    I have a husky too!  sweetest evil entity I have ever met.

  50. T.... W....

    this song, and Hello in There are two of the best things since my honeymoon!!

  51. J.... ....

    NOTHING BUT THE BEST TO YOU JOHN.PHIL R FROM WEST HILL

  52. K.... H....

    Is John still Ok? I know he was
    sick before

    K.... H....

    Just saw him at the Fox in Atl. Still kicking.

  53. G.... C....

    2 dislikes?

  54. s.... ....

    This is one of my favorite songs of all time. No matter what has gone on earlier in the day, this song always picks me up and puts a smile on my face.

  55. b.... g....

    shame people  my age dont listen to music like this  

    b.... g....

    bob gunter same. Im 19 and hate new music people are into today. This is soo much better

  56. B.... S....

    Love Prine, I listened to him from freshman year till now, and I'm 54. His words have left a nice scar on my brain. Love this man

    B.... S....

    I will have to listen to Waylon Jennings and Arlo Guthrie. Start with 'Out Among the Stars' and The Pickle Song....I remember The Pickle Song...been awhile.Was it on "nursery songs" or something like that?

    B.... S....

    I never thought that you would really be doing this so soon. I will meet you at the house you built ,down by the stream. Rest and fish see you one day soon AFHO & GTO

    B.... S....

    Nice compliment. I think my brain is also scared

    B.... S....

    Well said. I've seen him 4 times. 2 in Memphis TN 2 in San Francisco . He plays at the Not Necessarily Blues Festival in Golden Gate Park and at the Warfield . He is awesome !

    B.... S....

    I love him

  57. T.... ....

    Another Prine classic w/o 1 dislike. Sry next generation...Music will NEVER be as good as it was....EVER!

  58. N.... S....

    Great song! Yeah, this pretty much sums it up.

  59. T.... C....

    awesome song

  60. L.... F....

    glorious 70's >^..^<

  61. d.... ....

    looking for beer can bob by gary mcmahan. Do you have it?

  62. J.... O....

    I can totally relate

  63. h.... ....

    I first heard this in 1978 at a friend's apartment and was instantly hooked on
    JOHN PRINE. I have been a fan ever since ! ~

  64. R.... C....

    That's what it's all about :-)

  65. b.... ....

    this is pretty good...

  66. S.... ....

    "And they only gave me fifty cents an hour." Man . . . been there, done that.